Program Workshops

The Role, Requirements and Responsibility of the Social Sector in Society
6 hours
Instructor: Dr. Reid A. Zimmerman, CFRE

This course explores the roots, development, growth, and current critical issues of the nonprofit (also called the social or voluntary) sector. It sets the stage for the Nonprofit Management Certificate by considering the history of voluntary organizations in the U.S.; their development as a distinct and vibrant sector of our economy; the implications and requirements of IRS tax codes on non-profit organizations; different models of organization; lobbying, and advocacy; reporting requirements and ethical implications for organizations and the sector. It is designed to enhance participants' understanding of and appreciation for the role of the charitable sector in meeting the diverse needs of communities in the United States.

Nonprofit Governance and Leadership6 hours
Instructor: Mary Streufert

This session provides an overview of the governance, leadership and management of nonprofit organizations. It considers the practical application of several styles of nonprofit governance, the legal and ethical responsibilities of the Board of Directors, the interactions between the Board of Directors, the Executive Director and Staff. Bylaws and legal documents as well as leadership styles, organizational culture, structure and life-stages are investigated.

Review the policies and practices necessary for understanding and managing the financial aspects of a nonprofit organization, including accounting rules and common terminology. The session will also investigate the differences in accounting between nonprofit and for-profit organizations and consider the basic tools of nonprofit financial management. Budget development and tools for data analysis will be shared as well as other means of helping both your board and staff to understand your financial position and organizational performance.

This course is designed to give you a more in-depth understanding of your organization's external financial statements and required reporting, including reporting under Yellow Book and Uniform Guidance. You will also gain an understanding of generally accepted accounting principles for not-for-profits and how items like contributions, grants, sponsorships, member dues, and endowments are required to be recorded. This will also include a detailed discussion on donor restricted contributions and how they are recorded and reported. We will discuss recently issued FASB Accounting Standards Updates and how to implement them. We will do an in-depth review of sample financial statements including footnotes to understand what is required and how to analyze and interpret the numbers. We will also look at internal control concepts and how to apply these to any size entity. This will include best practices for designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating cost-effective internal controls so you can successfully prevent and detect fraud. You will also learn how to prepare for your audit and gain and understanding of the audit process. We will discuss the new Uniform Guidance audit requirements including requirements related to the Schedule of Expenditures of Federal Awards, major program determination, and reporting when a Single audit is required.

This practical workshop provides the guidelines and tools to produce a strategic plan that is always relevant, realistic and flexible. It explains how to customize the planning process to suit the nature and needs of your organization, so that all Board members, employees and stakeholders have strong buy-in to the process and the plan. It shares easy-to-reference tools to ensure the plan is implemented as you continue to measure your progress toward your goals.

This seminar considers the development and implementation of specific programing in a nonprofit organization as well as the evaluation of program outcomes for clients and its impact on the community. It will consider the use of research and theory of change in developing the program and set the groundwork for the writing of the case for financial support. It will also look at budgets and staffing requirements as well as evaluation methodologies and practical tools for measuring program success based on program logic approach. Whole organizational assessment and Process Improvement tools including Baldrige Criteria and MCN Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence will be shared.

Human resources are a nonprofit's most valuable asset and often represent more than half the organization's budget. Managing and stewarding this critical human asset is an important nonprofit leadership skill. This session will consider the hiring, management, and (stewardship of both staff and volunteers as a means of accomplishing the organization's mission. Legal issues as well as organizational culture will be considered as part of the management of your organizations human resources.

This seminar will consider how your organization is viewed by the public. It will look at crafting your mission message, maintaining your organization's brand, getting your message out, managing both positive and negative publicity and developing an inclusive marketing/communication plan. Print advertising, social media as well as other communication strategies will be investigated as components of marketing and communications for your organization.

Fees: If enrolled in Certificate, each one-day (6 hours) class is $119; two-day (12 hours) $238; if taking courses "stand-alone" (not enrolled in Certificate), each one-day (6 hours) class is $139; two-day (12 hours) $279. The total cost for all the courses, if enrolled for the Certificate, is $977. That includes all courses for $952 plus $25 for transcript fee.